what metal is a Stanley door hinge made from?

TXoutback

TXoutback

Joined
Apr 17, 2010
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I am putting a crossguard on a modified ontario machete, and I found a half of a door hinge that was just the right size and thickness.

It looked like it was brassy or bronze at one time, but when I started cutting it was shiny bright silver on the inside, and the brassy color was just a coating.

Anyway, it's much too heavy to be aluminum. The hinge half said "Made in USA" and STANLEY and it is probably 10+ years old.

What I'm wondering is if it is stainless steel, nickel, zinc, all of the above? Any reason not to use it?
 
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darrin sanders said:
Probably mild steel (1018) with brass plating.
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's what I'm thinking too. I guess it will be fine as a crossguard as long as I fit it first then put some kind of patina or browning or blueing on it before fixing it in place with epoxy.
 
Here's a couple of pics...

The bit cut from the old door hinge:
crossguard.jpg


...and held up to the modified Ontario machete:
crossguard_with_machete.jpg
 
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It will be the cheapest mild steel the company can have them stamped out of. No way to know exactly what the steel is. It will be 100% assuredly NOT a knife steel. For a guard or fitting, it should be fine.

Personally, I would choose a non-rusting material like brass or nickel for the guard.
 
A little off topic. How hard was it to get the old handle off? I have 2 Ontario machetes that I want to rehandle and modify. Did you just drill out the pins?
 
I dont have much experience working with metal on a drill press, so I didnt know what speed or pressure to use. I just drilled the pins with something like a 5/16ths bit while the blade was clamped down on the press. The toughest part was when the pin would seize up and start spinning in its hole along with the bit. Just took some patience.

If I were doing it again, I'd try it with a larger bit in the 3/8+ range, after making set point with a punch. You really just need to get rid of the head off one side, then you can punch the pin itself out.

I have not yet dared to drill a new hole in the handle...but eventually I will once I have the crossguard done and I decide to put real slabs on it.
 
TXoutback said:
I am putting a crossguard on a modified ontario machete, and I found a half of a door hinge that was just the right size and thickness.

It looked like it was brassy or bronze at one time, but when I started cutting it was shiny bright silver on the inside, and the brassy color was just a coating.

Anyway, it's much too heavy to be aluminum. The hinge half said "Made in USA" and STANLEY and it is probably 10+ years old.

What I'm wondering is if it is stainless steel, nickel, zinc, all of the above? Any reason not to use it?
Click to expand...

If you ever have that question in the future, a magnet will tell you the answer quite often.
 
I came to this thread to mock you, but after reading it, this is actually pretty reasonable. :D


It's not stainless steel, nickel, zinc, because those are either too expensive and/or too weak for this. Stick a magnet to it.

It is most likely A36, which is an inexpensive mild steel available in coils that can be fed through the press and stamped out.

Any reason not to use it? Nope, go nuts. :thumbup:
 
It's probably mild steel with brass plating like the others said, but I've had hinges which were actually solid brass. The magnet will tell you.
 
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